1. Field of the Invention
The apparatus of the present invention relates to an apparatus for conveying cotton bales or cotton modules wherein a lever or flipper rotates each bale or module from a first prone position to a second, elevated upright position while traveling along a conveyor (of rollers, for example). More particularly, this invention relates to a device that is used to tilt or flip cotton modules on for example a roller equipped conveying system wherein each module travels in a first prone position along a first conveyor or section and then is flipped upright.
2. General Background of the Invention
There are prior art bale/module flipping devices that have been patented. Examples of possibly related patents directed to such devices are listed below and each patent is hereby incorporated herein by reference:
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,939,569; 3,286,854; 3,322,256; 3,344,902; 3,612,309; 3,923,176; 4,050,598; 4,103,794; 4,179,017; 5,540,534; 6,811,367; and US Publication Nos. 2004/0005208; 2009/0202327; 2010/0024617. A competing cotton module handling product can be seen at: http://www.stoverequipment.com/unwrapper%20GIS.html.